WHO Experts Conduct Final Assessment of Kazakhstan's Drug Regulation System

A final mission by experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to assess Kazakhstan's national system for regulating the circulation of medicines has commenced in Astana. This concluding visit is part of the global comparative assessment tool, the Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT), and represents a decisive stage in determining the maturity level of the country's regulatory framework.

Following this mission, a decision will be made on potentially granting Kazakhstan a third level of maturity. This status confirms that national regulatory mechanisms align with international standards and demonstrate sustainable institutional effectiveness.

Currently, Kazakhstan holds a second-level maturity rating. The GBT system encompasses four levels of assessment. According to WHO data, only 36 countries have achieved levels three and four, including nations such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and most European Union member states.

Achieving level three would signify recognition of Kazakhstan's consistent modernization of pharmaceutical regulation, strengthening of oversight functions, increased procedural transparency, and integration into the global architecture for ensuring drug quality and safety.

Successfully passing this international benchmarking is viewed as a strategic step toward bolstering trust in the national control system, expanding the export potential of domestic pharmaceutical products, and further attracting investment into the sector.